City of San Jose
World Wide Web Page
Disability Access Design Standards
City of San Jose Web Page Disability Access Design Standards Early version
dated March 14, 1997. All links within document are not active. This version was
demonstrated at the 6th International World Wide Web Conference in April 1997 by
Cynthia D. Waddell, Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator, Office of
Equality Assurance, City Manager Department, City of San Jose, California USA.
For a description of the W6 presentation, "Delivering the Vision: How Local
Government Web Page Design Standards Can Serve as a Catalyst in the Development
and Deployment of the National Information Infrastructure," see http://www.scope.gmd.de/info/www6/access/acc238.html.
In response to the need to ensure that our web page is
accessible to persons with disabilities navigating at our web site, the City of
San Jose has developed these standards for web page design. Just as curbcuts
enable persons who use wheelchairs to navigate our City, electronic curbcuts
enable persons with hearing, visual and learning disabilities to navigate our
web site. In recognition of the development of these standards, the City of San
Jose is pleased to report our selection as a model City link for the federal
government Center on Information Technology Accommodation. In addition, in
January 1997 the City was selected to provide a virtual technology bridge to the
Presidential Inaugural Technology Tent on the mall. See
the Inaugural photo journal.
These standards are influenced by Universal Design concepts
embraced by the National Information Infrastructure (NII). Specifically,
Universal Design calls for the development of information systems flexible
enough to accommodate the needs and preferences of the broadest range of users
of computers and telecommunications equipment, regardless of age or disability.
Our standards embrace the NII White Paper concepts that
"building choice" removes communications and information access
barriers that restrict business and social interactions between people with and
without disabilities; removes age-related barriers to participation in society;
reduces language and literacy-related barriers to society; reduces risk of
information worker injuries and enhances global commerce opportunities.
The Disability Access Design Standards are currently being
incorporated into our web site and will evolve as new technologies and
information systems emerge.
* The City Web Home Page and all City Department home pages will
be linked to a page entitled "Instruction Page for Users with
Disabilities." This page will provide instructions for access to the City
web pages for persons with disabilities through a link which will be located at
the bottom of the Department Home Page. The
City Web Home Page and all City Department Home Pages will be linked to a page
entitled "Access Instructions for Users with Disabilities."
* All City of San Jose World Wide Web pages shall support text
browsers directly on the page or have an alternative text page displaying the
same information. Helpful sites for web page design are located at www.ca.gov/access/howtoweb.html
or www.dcp.ucla.edu/
* Every graphic image shall have an "Alt" tag with a
short description of that graphic image. If the graphic image is being used as a
hyperlink, it should also include a description of the information at the
hyperlink.
* Photographs that contribute to the content of the page shall
be linked by a "D." The "D" will be a selectable hyperlink
to a description of the photograph. In
addition, a "Return" hyperlink will be located at the end of the
description so that the user can return to the photograph.
* All audio and video clips shall have text transcriptions or
descriptions. The graphic page will have a closed-captioned (CC) link button.
* Any link text shall contain descriptive words which can be
quickly reviewed by users. Words like "this", "here" or
"click" alone do not convey information about the nature of the link.
* An alternate mechanism for on-line forms will be provided
since forms are not supported by all browsers. For example, the page could
provide a phone number or e-mail address for obtaining the form or assistance.
* If visitors are required to download software not accessible
by a screen reader in order to obtain City documents, then the following
Alternate Document Format Notice will be posted at the site: "To obtain
this information in an accessible format, please call (408) 277-XXXX (Voice) or
(408) 277-XXXX (TTY)."
* The use of tables with more than two columns of text will be
avoided since tables are not supported by all browsers and cannot be read
intelligently by screen readers. For example, newspaper style layouts with text
wrapping from one column to the next are not accessible. If tables are used,
then the Alternate Document Format Notice will be posted at the site.
Revised March 14, 1997
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